Asian Games gold medallist Swapna Barman said that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is yet to fulfill her promise.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had promised Indian heptathlete Swapna Barman a plot of land for her Asian Games gold last year, but the athlete is yet to hear from the officials.

The Jalpaiguri-born athlete was promised a plot of land in close proximity of the Sports Authority of India Eastern Centre in Saltlake to facilitate her training. It has been close to a year and what she has been provided with is a rented house.

“We have made so many requests but the officials have told us that the finance committee has rejected the proposal of a land. I want to know whether the chief minister is aware that I’ve been denied a land despite her promise,” Swapna said on the sidelines of an event here.

Swapna, who has a personal best of 6,026 points, has a challenging task of bettering it to 6,420 points to reach the Olympic qualifying mark.

With time running out for Tokyo 2020, Swapna said: “It’s tough but I’m confident. I will do my best next year to raise the points.”

That she is no longer a part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) makes it all the more difficult.

“It would have been nice to be there in TOPS. But I don’t have any regrets. My focus is on ensuring that I’m in the best possible shape ahead of Tokyo Olympics,” she said.

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